Michael (1996 film)
| music = Randy Newman | cinematography = John Lindley | editing = Geraldine Peroni | studio = Turner Pictures Alphaville Films | distributor = New Line Distribution | released = | runtime = | country = United States | language = English Portuguese | budget = | gross = $119.7 million }} Michael is a 1996 American fantasy film directed by Nora Ephron. The film stars John Travolta as the Archangel Michael, who is sent to Earth to do various tasks, including mending some wounded hearts. The cast also includes Andie MacDowell, William Hurt, Bob Hoskins, Joey Lauren Adams and Robert Pastorelli as people who cross Michael's path. The original music score was composed by Randy Newman. The dance scene and other location shots were filmed at the community center of Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Cornhill, Texas, and on country roads near Walburg, Texas, as well as at Texas's Gruene Hall. Contrary to popular depictions of angels, Michael is portrayed as a boozing, smoking slob – yet capable of imparting unexpected wisdom. Plot The National Mirror is a tabloid publication that reports primarily on unexplainable phenomena. The editor, Vartan Malt, receives a story tip about a woman living with an angel in her house in a small town in Iowa, and decides to send three staff members to investigate. He chooses Frank Quinlan, Huey Driscoll, a photographer and owner of the Mirror star Sparky the Wonder Dog, and Dorothy Winters, hired by Malt to eventually replace Driscoll. At the boarding house of Pansy Milbank, they meet her tenant Michael. While Michael has wings and smells like cookies, he has an unexpected taste for cigarettes and sugar, seems rather boorish at first, and does not appear clean. When pressed for the type of angel he is, he replies he is an archangel, with Pansy boasting he triumphed over Lucifer in the War in Heaven. After Pansy unexpectedly dies, Frank and Huey decide to take Michael to Chicago. Michael reveals that this was his plan from the beginning. During the trip it is slowly revealed that Michael's mission on Earth is to get Frank and Dorothy together despite both having had bad experiences with love. After Sparky is hit by a truck and killed, Michael brings him back to life. In the process he uses up his allotment of miracles and begins to weaken. The group reaches Chicago just in time for Michael to see the Sears Tower (which he has always wanted to see) before disappearing. After Frank and Dorothy go their separate ways, Michael returns one more time (this time with Pansy in tow) and successfully gets Frank and Dorothy back together for good. Cast * John Travolta as Michael * Andie MacDowell as Dorothy Winters * William Hurt as Frank Quinlan * Bob Hoskins as Vartan Malt * Robert Pastorelli as Huey Driscoll * Jean Stapleton as Pansy Milbank * Teri Garr as Judge Esther Newberg * Wallace Langham as Bruce Craddock * Joey Lauren Adams as Anita, Brown's waitress * Richard Schiff as Italian waiter * Carla Gugino as Bride * Tom Hodges as Groom * Sparky as Himself Themes and interpretations Contrary to popular depictions of angels, Michael is portrayed as a boozing, smoking slob – yet capable of imparting unexpected wisdom. 's shield in the War in Heaven, which Professor Christopher R. Miller argues influenced the film.]] Professor Christopher R. Miller compared the depiction of angels in Michael to John Milton's in Paradise Lost. Milton presented angels as "six-winged shapeshifters who patrol the galaxy, leaving a vapor trail of heavenly fragrance in their wake". Miller notes Michael is portrayed as warring on Lucifer with shields resembling "two broad suns", and credits Michael with referencing this mythology. Reception The film received mixed to negative reviews, currently holding a 38% rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 37 reviews. Box office The movie was a hit at the box office. Released on Christmas Day, Michael finished number one at the box office that weekend, grossing $17,435,711 (roughly $3.4 million more than 2nd place Jerry Maguire, which was in its 3rd week). The total domestic gross was $95,318,203, ranking Michael #16 for the year 1996. References External links * * * Category:1996 films Category:1990s romantic comedy films Category:American comedy-drama films Category:American fantasy-comedy films Category:American romantic comedy films Category:American films Category:Films about angels Category:English-language films Category:Films scored by Randy Newman Category:Films directed by Nora Ephron Category:Films set in Chicago Category:Films set in Iowa Category:Films shot in Texas Category:1990s road movies Category:American road movies Category:Screenplays by Nora Ephron Category:Michael (archangel)